France Order of the National Economy

[Megan]

Ordre de l'Economie Nationale

Created by a decree of 6 January 1954 to to reward outstanding services to the French economy in the various fields of economic research, production, productivity, international economic exchanges and professional representation economically. Both French citizens and foreigners could be awarded this order, which was in three classes: Commander, Officer and Knight.

It was discontinued on 1 January 1964, being replaced by the National Order of Merit.

The ribbon is orange (sometimes described as saffron yellow) - the Commander being worn on a neck ribbon, the other 2 grades on the left breast with a rosette for Officers. The badge is gilt for Commanders and Officers and silver for Knights. Suspended from a gear/cog device, the badge is a complex 5-pointed star shape, white-enamelled and with a centre medallion showing an allegorical figure representing 'the economy' crowned with wheat surrounded by 10 bolts on the obverse. The reverse shows a globe surrounded by the points of a compass rose.

Here is the Commander badge: -

[paul wood]

Yes the introduction of the Order of national Merit in in 1964 was a great shame is it got rid of some considerably more attractive orders, typical Gaullist centralism.

Paul

[Bison]

In fact, the Ordre National du Mérite has not replaced the former ministerial orders of merit. For example a commander of the Ordre de l'Economie Nationale was not automatically moved into the Ordre National du Mérite.

The ministerial orders and the colonial orders where disbanded but recipients were allowed to continue to bear their decoration.

Regards

Bison

[paul wood]

Thanks Bison, however if post 1964 someone had met the requirements which would have previously granted The Ordre de l'Economie Nationale presumably they would have received the Ordre National du Merite. The same is true with British decorations which were abolished, you are still entitled to wear that decoration and certainly with the MM, DCM, CGM, AFM, DFM and DSM you are still entitled to use the post nominal letters.

Paul

[Veteran]

Hello Paul

Bison's remarks are absolutly right and I fully agree with him.

We all share, as collectors, your attraction to the defunct "ministerial orders" of France. They are, to-day, one of the pet-series of a large number of French collectors and quite rightly so.

The truth was that they were a mess. It should be remembered that, beside the Legion of honor which was THE national order, practically twenty various orders were or had been in existence. First five, and then three, "colonial orders", when officially France had no more colonies.. Plus a slew of three classes ministerial orders which were awarded pretty much at the whim of each cabinet minister in charge of a Government minitry.

The National order of merit provides a recognisable order which is respected and allows recognition of a large variety of merits. Four of the former ministerial orders were retained; The colonial orders had to go..

A well documented and well prepared exhibition is presently shown at the Legion of hohor Museum in Paris, as the Order of Merit reaches its first half-century.

Very best regards

Paul

Edited February 4, 2014 by Veteran

[paul wood]

Thanks for your clarification Paul,

With best wishes,

Paul

[Megan]

The 'ministerial' orders are indeed fascinating, I'm hoping to get pictures of all of them for my site, eventually.

The four survivors are the Academic Palms, Order of Arts & Letters, Order of Agricultural Merit and Order of Maritime Merit, incidentally. Must have been some fascinating debate as they decided which ones to keep!

[Bison]

Megan,

You are right, but the debates upon which orders were to be kept were not so many. President de Gaulle decided and that was it.

What we know is that the Palmes académiques were kept because it was an actual institution among the educational system, and they were the oldest. Another reason is that in France the political masters always avoid to confront the teachers.

For the Mérite Agricole, the "green Légion d'honneur" for the farmers, it is pretty the same reasons.

Then, if the Mérite Agricole was kept for the farmers, it was mandatory to keep the Mérite Maritime for the fishermen and other workers at sea.

The only exception in this logic is the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. It was kept because André Malraux - a Companion of general de Gaulle during the Free French period - was Minister of Culture at this time. He was one of the few who had a real influence on President de Gaulle. He advocated his cause directly to the President and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, which was one of the youngest ministerial orders, was kept. One main argument was to keep this Order as a tool of influence which can be used more easily than the Légion d'honneur to award French and foreign artists. This Order has nowadays a high prestige and visibility.

Regards

Bison